Match-box.



E. ELLIS. MATCH Box.

APPLIOATION YILEDDBUJ?, 1908.

Patented July 27, 1909.

atkins/13 lill/llIlllIIlIlIIIlIlIIl/lllIIIIIIIIIIIIILwill/111111 EDWARD ELLIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. I

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented .nay 27, 1909.

` Application filed December 1'7, 1908. Serial No. 468,029.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDWARD ELLIs, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Chicago, in the county of Oook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Matchdoxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention is an improved pocket match box having means for automatically igniting the matches as they are drawn therefrom.

The object of the invention is to provide a match box or safe of this character which will be more simple and less expensive than devices of the kind heretofore produced and which will be at the same time stronger and more durable and also more convenient to fill with matches.

lVith the above object in View, the invention consists of the novel construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the complete match box or safe looking toward opposite sides of the same; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the body member of the box; Fig. 4 is a similar view of the cover member; and Figs. 5 and 6 are longitudinal and transverse sectional views.

The improved match box consists of a body member 1 and a cover member 2 each of which is formed from a single metal blank by suitably cutting and bending the same.

g The body member 1 has a square portion 3 which forms the back of the box and bent up at right angles from its opposite sides are portions or wings 4 which form the side walls of the body. The longitudinal edges of the sides 4 are bent inwardly at right angles to form retaining flanges 5 for the cover member 2, which latter is adapted to form the front of the box. The bottom of the box is formed by bending the bottom edge of the back portion 8 inwardly and upwardly into substantially U-form, as shown in Fig. 5, the upper edge 7 of said curved or rounded bottom portion having its ends projecting under the lower ends of the flanges 5 and spaced therefrom to permit of the insertion of the top or cover member 2, as will be readily understood upon reference to both Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. The top of the box is open so that the ends of the match stems may project therefrom as seen in Fig. 1, and when it is desired to automatically ignite the matchesas they are drawn from the box, a suitable roughened or igniting surface 8 is provided, preferably, upon the inner face of the back portion 3 at its upper edge. As illustrated, the striking surface or member 8 is formed by thickening or flanging the upper edge of the back portion 3 and then forming a row of V-shaped notches in said flanged or thickened portion, as Will be understood upon reference to the drawings; The topor vcover member 2 isA made from a piece ofy resilient metal and is of rectangular form, its lower end being bent substantiallyV at right angles to form a curved portion 9 adapted to Lserve both as a stop and a finger piece. of the cover member has a curvature corresponding to that of the curved bottom 6 of the box so that it will serve as a stop to limit the inward or upward movement of the cover member when itengages said bottom; but its extreme edge is so shaped as to be slightly spaced from the bottom 6 of the box, as shown at 10 in Fig. 5, in order that the thumb or linger may be readily engaged with said projecting end to slide the cover member downwardly or outwardly.

The upper portion of the top or cover member 2 is bent or offset slightly in a transverse direction, as shown at 11, so that its upper extremity 12 serves as a retaining member or tongue to press the stems of the matches against the roughened igniting portion or teeth 8 and thereby effectively preventing the matches from dropping out of the open top of. the box. The resiliency of' the metal from which the cover member 2 is formed causes its bent or offset upper portion 12 to spring inwardly and frictionally engage the match stems 4and press them against the igni ting surface or teethS so that the matches will not only be retained in the box but will be automatically ignited as they are drawn out of the same.

In use, when it is desired to ll the box with matches its cover member 2 is removed and a row of matches placed upon the back portion 3 with their heads inserted in the curved or U-shaped bottom 6, as seen in Fig. 5. The cover member 2 is then slipped into position by inserting its upper edge beneath the curved lower ends of the retaining flanges 5 and the projecting portion or flange 7 of the bottom 6 and then forcing the cover member upwardly over the matches until its bent lower end or stop 9 engages the bottom 6 of This lower end 9- lder .the device useless.-

the box. the length of the match stems lso that .their upper ends project out of the open end oi the box, as seen in Fig. 1, and may be readily grasped between the ngers and pulled outwardly. As above stated, the resiliency of the offset upper portion or tongue 12 causes the matches to be frictionally retained-in the box and as they are drawn out 01": the same causes .their heads to be ignited by contact with the roughened surface or teeth S, as .will

be readily understood.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the invention is exceedingly simple in construction and may `therefore be produced-at a very small cost. lt consists of merely ytwo small metal blanks which may be quickly and :inexpensively made by the use .of proper machines and which are strong and durable and cannot be broken or otherwise injured to ren- The provision of fthe removable cover enables the box Ato be .quickly Yfilled or loaded with matches andthe lpeculiar construction ofthe cover enables it `to serve not only as a cover but also as a side, cover .retaining fflanges bent inwardly from the side walls, va bottom bent up .from

zthe bottom-edge of .the back portion, and-a cover member formed from a single piece of resilient:material and havinglits bottomedge bent lto form a stop portion to engage :the

-bottom of the box, the upper-portion of'said cover member lbeing bent or offset to form Van inwardly projecting match retaining tongue to engage the match stems and Apress them against the backportion of the bodyzto i'rictionally retain them'in thebox.

2. A'pocket match box comprising a body The latter is of less height .than

member formed from a single blank and having an open top and front, a closed back,

side walls bent up from the opposite edges of the side, cover retaining flanges bent in- Wardly from the side walls, a bottom bent up from the bottom edge of the back portion, a cover member formed from a single piece of resilient material and having its bottom edge bent to form a stop portion to engage the bottom of the box, said cover member :being .bent oroiiset to form an inwardly projecting match retaining tongue to `engage the match stems Vand press ythem against the .back portion of the body to frictionall-y retain ,them in the box, and means at lthe openztop ofthe .box whereby .the matches will be automatically ignited as they are drawn Vout of the same.

3. Apocket match :boxcomprisinga body member formed rvfrom va single blank and having an open top and front, a closed back portion formed :at its upperedge with an inwardly projecting enlargement or ilange lnotched to provide a row of match igniting teeth, side .walls bentupwardly from the opposite edges oi the back portion, cover :reitaining flanges Vbent inwardly `from said side walls and a bottom bent upwardly from .the lower edge of the back portion and having its edge or `lange extending under but .spaced from 4,the lower ends oi' the cover retaining flanges, anda cover member formed'froma single piece .of resilient .material and 4having its lowerend bent to 'form a stop to engage the `bottom oi the body and also to :forma finger piece spaced from said bottom, :the upper portion of the cover ,member being bent inwardlyor offset-to yprovide a resilient match stem engaging :tongue to retain ythe matches in :the :box and press .their heads against the igniting teeth when lthey lare drawnout of the ibox, substantially as'described.

.In testimony whereolI l hereunto aflixmy signature inthe presenoeoi' :two witnesses. EDWARD ELLIS. `Witnesses:

JAMES LH. D12-Mn, Sanna A. MEYER. 

